Sometimes random thoughts on food and wine and the pleasures they provide.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Going Greener

I’ve been trying to eat more greens. I’ve always consumed more than my fair share of fruit, but am not a lover of “greens”. Even growing up in the South, those turnip, collard and mustard greens were always just icky and I refused to touch them. But I learned recently if you treat them right, they can be your friend.

Especially if you are fighting cancer. I keep reading how important it is to consume enough leafy green, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables to ward off those nasty cancer cells. So I’m making a conscious effort to eat at least seven servings a day. My grandson, Isaac, is setting a very good example as he is a lover of all fruits and many vegetables. Here he is eating seaweed last weekend for lunch. Who would feed their baby seaweed?!!! A mother who loves it herself! And so does Isaac. But not me. I tried it out as one of my greens, but it maybe it’s like cilantro - some people have a gene that make it taste nasty. If so, I definitely have the nasty- tasting seaweed gene. Seaweed did not make my list of approved greens. But go, Isaac!

Many weeks at the farmers’ market I’ll try something new that’s leafy and green and we’ve made some good discoveries. I’ve gently sautéed kale as a side dish before, but never used it as the single green in a salad. I found a kale salad recipe on epicurious.com that I have modified a little. Something different from an everyday green salad. The kale has a more substantial texture than lettuce or a spring mix.

Keep up the healthy eating! I recently tried beet greens in a roasted beet salad (they need to be young and tender beet greens) and then I made a roasted beet juice vinaigrette. I made this same salad (http://eliotseats.com/?p=1586). I also like chard in noodles (http://eliotseats.com/?p=2261) and I bet you could use kale too. Have you tried baking kale until it is crisp? That is pretty good too. Hope this gives you some more ideas. Sending good thoughts your way!!!!

He ate seaweed??? I'm SO impressed! My kids would never have done that... heck, they still wouldn't do it, but then that might be because I'm not really a fan either. You are so right about greens, and I work to get them in our diet, but don't get them in often enough. Broccoli works, and spinach salads, but not much else. I'll have to keep trying!